Switch



Feb. 23,.1926. 4 1,574,417

H/W. CHENEY SWITCH Filed Oct. 29, 1919 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Patented Feb.23, 1926.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HERBERT W. CHENEY, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR TO ALLIS-CHALMEBSMANUFACTURING COLIPANY, OF MILWAUKEE, "WISCONSIN, A CORPORATION OFDELAJVARE.

SWITCH.

, Application filed October 29, 1919.

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that HERBERT TV. CHENEY, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, re siding at Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State ofWisconsin, has invented certain new and useful Improvement in Switches,of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to switches or controllers and is particularlyapplicable to motor controllers or switches involving two circuitclosing positions, one of which, in motor controllers, is usually astarting position and the other a running position.

One of the objects of this invention is the provision of a switch orcontroller having a simple and eflicient operating and controllingmechanism, and particularly an operating mechanism requiring smallforces to operate the same.

Another object is the provision of a structure in which use is made: ofbutt contacts and more particularly 'a structure of this type involvingtwo or more relatively stationary contacts in combination with one ormore movable contacts, each one of which latter is adapt-ed to makecontact with either one of a pair of the relatively stationary contacts.Another object of the invention is the provision of an operatingmechanism for the movable contact or contacts whereby the desiredmovements will be secured.

Still another object of the invention is the provision of a simple andefiiclent contact structure. Other objects will appear hereinafter asthe description of the invention proceeds.

The novel features of this invention will appear from the specificationand the accompanying drawings forming a part thereof and disclosing oneembodiment of said invention, and all these novel features are intendedto be pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a motor controller of thepotential type,

embodying the invention, some of the elements being in section, whichsection is taken on the line II of Fig. 4, and the parts being shown inthe open circult posi-.

tion in Fig. 1, and in the starting position in Fig. 4.

Fig. 2 shows the operating mechanism of ihe controller illustrated inFig. 1, the parts being in the position which they as- Serial No.334,887.

sume when the operating handle is thrown to starting position.

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 but showing the parts in the positionwhich they assume when the operating handle has been thrown to runningposition.

Fig. 4 is a front elevation of the conlroller illustrated in Fig. 1,parts being broken away and parts being in section.

Fig. 5 is a detail of a movable contact element.

The controller is provided with an operating handle 6 fastened to a mainshaft 25, which latter carries an operating arm 20 here shown asprovided with a projection 26 serving as a crank for moving the doublelink 28 pivoted thereto at the pin 27. The links 28 are pivoted at theother end to one end of the bell crank lever 43 which bell crank ismounted on a shaft 42, journalled in any suitable manner as, forexample, in the end plates 30, indicated in dot and dash lines on Fig.l. The other end of the bell crank 43 carries a shaft 50, here shown asof square cross section. The shaft 50 has rounded ends 49, journalledfor pivotal movement in the lower arm of the bell crank, as viewed inFig. 1. A lever 51 is mounted for movement about a pivot 52 and isconnected to the lower arm of the bell crank 43 and the shaft 50associated therewith by means of a link 44. The link 44 is rigidlyassociated with the shaft 50 but is freel}, pivoted at ,45 to the lever51.

The square shaft 50 carries one or more movable contacts 47 fastenedthereto by means of the clamping members 48, 54. Flexible leads 53 maybe electrically connected to each movable contact member 47 by suitableterminals and these leads may be kept in the desired spaced alinement bymeans of a cleat 46.

The movable contact or contacts are adapted to cooperate with relativelystationary contacts 38, 40. These contacts are mounted upon aninsulating support 39. If more contacts are necessary or desirable,additional supports may be added or the support 39 may be lengthened.Contacts 38, 40 are each provided with a threaded shank 36, 37respectively, passing through openings in both the insulating support 39and the U-shaped clamps 32. The clamps 32 are adapted to be slipped overrods 31,

41 supported in any suitable manner as in the end plates 30. The clamps32 may be insulated from the rods 31, ll, by members 62. The contacts,insulating support and clamps may be fastened to the rods by tighteninga nut 33 associated with each contact. Conductors 3 1 may beelectrically connected to each contact and fastened thereto by nuts 35.

The operating arm 20 is biased to circuit opening or off position bymeans of a centering dog, the elements 22,24, of which are drawn towardeach other by means of the spring 59, and are pivotally mounted on shaft25. The dog acts upon the operating arm 20 through the jaws 21, 23 andthe pin or projection 17 carried by said operating arm. A stationary pin18 is provided for holding one of the elements of the dog when the otheris being moved.

Latch means 8 is freely pivoted on shaft 11 and has a notch 16 thereinada ited to cooperate with pin 17 on the operating arm 20 so that thelatter cannot be moved in a clockwise direction from the position shownin Fig. 1. The latch means is also provided with a cam surface 60,preferably eccentric with the operating arm 20 so that when the latteris moved in a counter-clockwise direction the latch means will belifted. A notch 19 is provided in the cam surface 60 for a purpose to behereinafter set forth.

Holding and controlling means is provided for retaining the operatingmechanism in its running position after the same has been moved there byan operator, com prising, in the instance shown, a low voltage magnet 5having an armature 9 co-operating therewith. The armature 9 is fixed tothe shaft 11 and its downward motion is limited by means of the pin 15mounted in the brackets 14 between which the armature .9 swings. Theholding means further comprises a latch member 13 having a slot thereinthe surfaces 10, 12 of which are at an angle with the general directionof motion of the pin 17 on the operating arm 20.

The controller may, if desired, be provided with an overload coil 55adapted to actuate contacts 3 to cause deenei ization of the low voltagemagnet A dash pot may be provided for causing the overload coil to actwith a time element.

Wherethe control of the motor is to be by variation of the potentialsupplied there to, an auto-transformer i mounted in the same casing 1 asthe switch or controller may be provided. The various leads may bebrought into the casing through an opening 2 therein.

The lower half 61, see Figs. 1 and 1, of the casing is detachable andmay be held to the main portion thereof by means of the toggle device57, 58. The casing 61 may or may not contain oil as desired.

The operation of the controller illustrated is as follows: Assuming thatthe electrical connections are such that when the movable contacts -17are connected to the contacts 40 the connected motor will be suppliedwith starting potential, the handle 6 will be thrown in acounter-clockwise direction from the position shown in Fig. 1 to thatshown in Fig. 2, in order to start the motor. This motion is resisted bythe jaw 23 of the dog acting against the pin 17, the jaw 21 remaining inits initial position, being stopped there by the lit-ted pin 18.Counter-clockwise movement of the operating arm 20 causes similarmovement of the projection 26, this motion being transmitted to the bellcrank l3 which rotates in the same direction. By reason of itsconnection with the link 14: the lower end of the bell crank as causessaid link to move, in general, to the right, thus also shifting thecontact at to the right from its positicn as shown in Fig. 1. YVhile thecontact 4 7 and the link 1 1 are thus being shifted to the right thepivot-end 4:5 of said linl; is being pulled downward by the clockwiserotation of the lever- 51. This causes a clockwise rotation of the linki l and consequently a similar rotation of the shaft 50 associatedtherewith, result ing in an upward movement of the contact l7 bringingthe latter into engagement with the contact 40.

Vfhilc the operating arm 20 moved from its position in "1 to theposition in Fig. 2 the pin 17 acted upon the cam surface 60 of the latchmeans 8 raising the latter about its pivot 11 to the position shown inFig. 2. If the handle 6 is now moved rapidly in a clockwise directionthe operating arm 20 will moveinto the position shown in Fig. 3, the pin17 passing underneath the projection formed by the notch 16, the inertiaof the latch means 8 being sufiicient to prevent the latter fromdropping down soon enough to cause the notch 16 to engage the pin 17. Asthe operating arm 20 moves into the position shown in 3 thepin 17 entersthe slot in the latch member 13 and engages the surface 10 of said slot,thus raising the latch member and consequently also the armature 9 byreason of the rotation of the shaft 11. As the latch member 13 is thusrotated in a clockwise direction, the surface 12 of the slot thereincomes into cooperative position with an opposite face of the pin 17 andas the low voltage magnet 5 has now been energized by any suitableelectrical connections, and the armature is being held in the positionshown in Fig. 3 by the said magnet, the surface 12 will preventcounter-clockwise motion of the operating arm 20, although biased inthat direction by the aw 21, when the handle 6 is released by theoperator. lVealzening of magnet 5 to a predetermined extent will clearlypermit pin 17 to force-latch me1nber 13 downward and so permit return ofthe operative arm to oil? position.

While the operating arm 20 moves from the position shown in Fig. 2 tothe position shown in Fig. 3, it passes through the of? position andconsequently brings the contacts 47 back to the position indicated inFig. 1; from that position the contacts 47 will be moved to the left andsimultaneously in an upward direction into engagement with the contacts38, the action of the link mechanism being similar to that alreadydescribed in connection with the movement from the oil to the startingposition.

It will be noted that by reason of the provision of the novel type ofoperating mechanism for the movable contacts it is possible to use acontact having a single contact face for cooperating with two relativelystationary contacts, thus simplifying and cheapening the movable contactmechanism and avoiding the use o1 either two butt contacts on themovable member, one of which engages a relatively stationary contact inone circuit closing position and the other of which engages acorresponding relatively stationary contact in another circuit closingposition, or the use of a knife blade type of movable contact, which,particularly in switches and controllers handling heavy currents, isopen to the objection that friction between the knife blade contacts andthe relatively stationary contact clips becomes so large as to renderthe necessary operating mechanism and manual force actuating the sameprohibitively large. The present invention combines the advantages of asliding butt contact construction with a simplicity superior to theknife blade construction, without the disadvantages of either. By reasonof the butting contacts small forces only are necessary to disenthesame'and bring the same into engagement.

It wil be further noted that the distance the movable contact 47 movesaway from any given relatively stationary contact is not dependent uponthe distance between the relatively stationary contacts and in thismanner prevention of arcing may be readily taken care of.

The contact surfaces are kept clean for, as may be seen from aninspection of either Figs. 2 or 3, after contact 47 has engaged eithercontact 38 or 40, slight relative rubbing motion between the two ispossible by reason or" the horizontal component given the movablecontact by the bell crank 43.

In order to prevent an operator from throwing current on to a connectedmotor and then moving the controller a slight distance toward the offposition, and back into the starting position, thus causing arcingbetween the movable and starting contacts, the notch 19 in the latchmeans 8 is provided. It will be seen that if the operating arm 20 ismoved the fraction of the distance from the starting position shown inFig. 2 to the off position whereby the latch means 8' will drop down sothat the notch 19 will engage the pin 17, the operating arm 20 cannot beagain moved in a counter-clockwise direction from that position,inasmuch as the latch means 8 and the notch 19 then act as a latchpivoted at 11. The operating arm 20 is however free to move in aclockwise direction from this position to the off position.Comparatively rapid motion of the operating arm 20 from off position tostarting position will cause the pin 17 to throw latch means 8 upward sothat notch 19 will not engage pin 17. The position of the notch 19 maybe at any desired point but is preferably so chosen that when the pin 17is in the notch 19 the contacts 47 will be outside of arc ing distance.

It should be understood that it is not desired to limit the inventionclaimed to the exact details of construction herein shown and described,for obvious modifications may occur to persons skilled in the art.

It is claimed and desired to secure by Letters Patent:

1. A switch comprising two sets of relatively stationary contact meanshaving the centers of their effective contact surfaces spaced apart agiven distance, movable contact means having an open circuit positionoutside of a semi-circle having a diameter equal to said distance and ina plane perpendicular to said surfaces, and means whereby said movablecontact means is caused to execute a combined motion of translation androtation in moving directly from said open circuit position intoengagement with either of said relatively stationary contact means.

2. A double-throw switch comprising two sets of relatively stationarycontact means, movable contact means having an open circuit position,and actuating means for said movable contact means whereby said movablecontact means is caused to execute a combined motion of translation androtation in moving directly from said open circuit position intoengagement with either of said relatively stationary contact means, saidactuating means having axes of operation all of which are disposedoutside of the space between the axial general planes of said sets.

3. A double-throw switch comprising two sets of relatively stationarycontact means, a crank having its axis disposed outside of the spacebetween the axial general planes of said sets, means associated withsaid crank for swinging the same, movable contact means, having an opencircuit position,

operable by said crank, and means whereby when said crank is swung saidmovable contact means is caused to execute a combined motion or"translation and rotation in moving directly from said open circuitposition into engagement with either of said relatively stationarycontact means.

4L. A double throw switch comprising two sets of relatively stationarycontact means, a crank having its axis disposed outside of the spacebetween the axial general planes of said sets, means associated vithsaid crank for swinging the same, movable contact means having an opencircuit position outside of the contact-plane of either or" said sets,operable by said crank, and means whereby when said crank is swung saidmovable contact means may be moved into engagement with one of saidrelatively stationary contact means directly from its open circuitposition and then through said open circuit position to engagement withthe other of said relatively stationary contact means.

5. A double-throw switch comprising two sets of relatively stationarycontact means, a crank having its axis disposed outside of the spacebetween the axial general planes of said sets, means associated withsaid crank for swinging the same, movable contact means, having an opencircuit position outside of the contact-plane of either of said sets,said movable contact means being carried by and pivotally associatedwith said crank, means whereby when said crank is swung said movablecontact means may be moved into engagement with one of said relativelystationary contact means directly from its open circuit position andthen through said open circuit position to engagement with the other ofsaid relatively stationary contact means.

6. A switch comprising a crank, means as sociated with said crank forswinging the same, a pivot carried by said crank, a contact mounted forrotation about the axis of said pivot, a lever having a stationarypivot, said lever extending from its pivot in a direction substantiallyopposite from that of a line from the axis of rotation of said crank tosaid pivotcarried thereby, and a link connecting said contact and saidlever.

7. A switch comprising a crank, means associated with said crank torswinging the same, a lever having a stationary pivot, a supportjournalled in said crank, a contact mounted on said support, and a linkrigidly associated'with said support and connected to saidstationarypivot lever.

8. A'switch comprising a crank, means associated with said crank torswinging the same, a lever having a stationary pivot, a shaft journalledin said crank, a contact mounted on said shaft, and a link rigidlyassociated with said shaft and connected to said stationary-pivot lever.

9. A switch comprising a crank, means associated with said crank forswinging the same, a lever having a stationary pivot, a link forconnecting said lever with a point on said crank located in a directionfrom the axis of rotation of said crank substantially opposite from thedirection in which said lever extends from its stationary pivot, and acontact associated with said link.

10. A switch comprising a bell crank lever, means associated with onearm of said bell crank for movin" the same, a lever having a stationarypivot, a support journalled in the other arm of said bell crank lever, acontact mounted on said support, and a link rigidly ssociated with saidsupport and connected to said stationary-pivot lever.

11. A switch comprising a bell crank lever, means associated with onearm of said bell crank for moving the same, a lever havinc" a stationarypivot, a shaft journalled in the other arm of said bell crank lover, acontact mounted on said shaft, and a link rigidly associated with saidshaft and connected to said stationary-pivot lever.

12. A switch comprising a bell crank lever, means associated with onearm of said bell crank for moving the same, a lever having a stationarypivot, said lever extending in a direction. from its stationary pivotsubstantially opposite from the direction of the other arm of said bellcrank from its axis of rotation, a link for connecting said other arm ofsaid bell crank with said stationarypivot lever, and a contactassociated with said link.

13. In combination, a switch operating mechanism having a circuitopening and a circuit closing position, means for holding said mechanismin circuit closing position comprising a cam member, a magnet andarmature, means for actuating said cam member operatively associatedwith said mechanism, means for biasing said mechanism to the circuitopening position disposed to act directly on said cam actuating means,and means whereby when said cam is actuated by said mechanism thearmature will be brought into cooperative relation with said magnet.

1- 1. In combination, a switch operating mechanism having a circuitopening and a circuit closing position comprising an operating leverprovided with a pin near one end thereof, means engaging said pin forbiasing said lever to circuit opening position. a latch member forholding said lever in circuit closing position having a slot therein,one of the surfaces of which forms a cam whereby when said pincooperates therewith the latch member will be raised, thereby causingthe other surface of said slot to come into latching position withrespect to another surface of said pin, a magnet and. armature, andmeans whereby when said latch member is operated by said pin saidarmature will be brought into cooperative relation with said magnet.

15. In combination, switch operating means having off, starting andrunning positions, a switch contact movable in unison with saidoperating means, means for preventing movement of said operating meansfrom the oit position into the running position, and means forpreventing slow oscillation of said mechanism between the startingposition and a position between the starting and oil positions.

16. In combination, switch operating mechanism having oiif, starting andrunning positions, a switch contact movable in unison with saidoperating mechanism, means whereby said mechanism may be moved from thestarting position to the running position and is prevented from beingmoved from the off position to the running position, and means forpreventing the slow oscillation of said mechanism between the startingposition and a position between the starting and OK positions.

17. In combination a switch operating mechanism having oft, starting andrunning positions, a switch contact movable in unison with saidoperating mechanism, and means for preventing slow oscillation of saidmechanism between the starting position and a position between thestarting and off positions.

18. In combination, a switch operating mechanism having oft, startingand running positions, a switch contact movable in unison with saidoperating mechanism, and means for preventing slow oscillation of saidmechanism between the starting position and a position between thestarting and off positions while permitting rapid motion between thestarting and oil positions.

19. In combination, a switch operating mechanism having off, startingand running positions, means for permitting the movement of saidmechanism from rest in said off position into complete starting positionat a relatively high speed and for stoppinpsaid mechanism short ofcomplete starting position when said mechanism is moved at apredetermined lower speed.

20. In combination, a switch operating mechanism having oil, startingand run ning positions, means for preventing movement of said mechanisminto running posi tion without first moving into starting positioncomprising a latch having a cut-away portion having walls the generalplanes of which are approximately at right angles to each other, one ofsaid walls serving to engage said mechanism in off position andpreventing movement to running position and the other of said wallsconstituting a cam surface eccentric to said operating mechanism andextending to the position said operating mechanism assumes when instarting position, the degree oi said eccentricity being sutiicient tohold said first named wall out of engaging position when said mechanismis in starting position.

21. In combination, a switch operating lever, having off, starting andrunning positions, latch means for cooperating with said levercomprising a pivoted member having a shoulder engaging said lever in offposition and preventing movement to running position, and having asubstantially circular surface begun at the bottom of said shoulder andextended for engagement with said lever when in siarting position, saidsurface being. eccentric with said lever thereby acting as a cam surfaceof gradual lift.

22. In combination, a switch operating lever, having oil, starting andrunning posi tions, latch means for cooperating with said levercomprising a pivoted member having a shoulder engaging said lever in offposition and preventing movement to running position, and having a camsurface eccentric to said operating lever whereby said latch means islifted when said lever is in starting position, and a notch in said camsurface.

In testimony whereof, the signature of the inventor is aiiixed hereto.

HERBERT vV. CHENEY.

